“It’s the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world,” he told the Sun before speaking in front of a small crowd of concerned citizens, local politicians, and law enforcement officials at Foursquare Church.

The event, Cunningham said, was an opportunity to educate the public and build a coalition across the hospitality industry, law enforcement, nonprofits, and the faith community to help combat the worldwide trafficking network prevalent across the country, California, and even in Santa Barbara County.

Some 300,000 kids nationwide are sex trafficked on any given day, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)—roughly the population equivalent to the city of Anaheim.

Santa Barbara County released a needs assessment conducted by its District Attorney’s Office’s task force in 2015, which quoted a FBI victim specialist calling the Central Coast a “hub” for sex trafficking. The county received a $1.34 million grant in 2016 from the DOJ, which according to Yleana Velasco, a victim witness advocate with the DA’s Office, helped authorities identify 50 sex workers within the county in 2017—15 were minors.In California, law enforcement from the state down to the local level have made eliminating human trafficking a high priority following a 2012 report from the state Attorney General’s Office. The report said that between 2008 and 2010, federally funded United States Human Trafficking Task Forces investigated 2,515 suspected incidents of human trafficking. Investigators classified eight out of 10 incidents as sex trafficking cases. At least 80 percent of the survivors were identified as U.S. citizens. More than 1,000 of the investigations involved allegations of child sex trafficking.

“I’ve worked in the District Attorney’s Office the last 24 years managing victim witness assistance programs. In that time and up to this point, I could have never imagined I’d be standing up here in 2018 talking about human trafficking in our own communities,” Victim Assistance Director Megan Riker-Rheinschild said.

Santa Maria Police Department Detective Jesus Caro, while not providing specific numbers, told the crowd on April 20 that the department as of a few months ago was working closely with the DA’s Office, its Victim Witness-Assistance Program, and the local the Rape Crisis Center.

“We now have an advocate that works with us in the Santa Maria Police Department at least two to three days a week,” Caro said, adding that in the past officer reports sent to the DA’s office about potential victims sometimes slipped through the cracks. “Now, having this advocate with us, it’s just a matter of me getting up from my desk and walking to her desk—no more than 15 steps.”

According to Cunningham, in 2017 nearly 4,000 calls about potential trafficking cases were made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, with more than 1,000 becoming legitimate cases.

Cunningham has packaged together four bills for the state Assembly that specifically target human trafficking. AB 1735 would expand protective orders for adult victims of pimping and pandering (the current law offers protections only to minors), as well as those trafficked for nonsexual purposes like labor. Cunningham also has a bill (AB 1736) aiming to amend how statements made by victims and witnesses of trafficking and sex crimes to law enforcement hold up in court.

The other two bills, AB 1737 and AB 1738, would “clean up” California’s six definitions of pandering—essentially facilitating sex acts and prostitution—and enact stricter enforcement on the sex offender registry by those who commit, or attempt sex acts with a minor or trafficking victim, respectively.

“The fight against human trafficking is one of the biggest moral issues of our time,” Cunningham said.

]]>Assemblyman recognized for commitment to career technical educationhttp://jordancunningham.org/assemblyman-recognized-for-commitment-to-career-technical-education/
Tue, 03 Apr 2018 18:35:45 +0000http://jordancunningham.org/?p=1079Last week, Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo), along with his colleagues on the Select Committee for Career Technical Education and Building a 21st Century Workforce, were honored by the California Industrial and Technology Education Association and Foundation (CITEA).

During the 89th Annual CITEA conference held at Cuesta College, CITEA leaders awarded Cunningham and his colleagues with the Legislative Champion Award. This award thanked them for their commitment to Career Technical Education and efforts at the state level to support it.

“From day one, Career Technical Education has been one of my top priorities,” said Cunningham. “I’m honored by the recognition we’ve received from CITEA. I will continue working with my colleagues at the state level, as well as leaders on the local level, to support CTE. It is right for kids, right for our economy, and changes lives.”

In both years of his first term, Assemblyman Cunningham has carried the signature legislation to extend funding for CTE programs throughout the state. Currently, he is working with Assemblyman Pat O’Donnell (D-Long Beach) on AB 1743. If passed, AB 1743 would provide $500 million a year to CTE programs over the next three school years.

A former member of the Templeton Unified School Board, father of four and small business owner, Jordan Cunningham lives in San Luis Obispo County and represents the communities of Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Cambria, Paso Robles, Grover Beach, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Los Osos, Morro Bay, Nipomo, Orcutt, Pismo Beach, Templeton, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Maria, and surrounding communities.

]]>Cunningham, Monning deserve credit for ‘Y’ fixhttp://jordancunningham.org/cunningham-monning-deserve-credit-for-y-fix/
Mon, 02 Apr 2018 18:33:33 +0000http://jordancunningham.org/?p=1076 Our local Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham and State Sen. Bill Monning both deserve a great deal of credit for their role in securing $197 million in state transportation dollars for San Luis Obispo County to fund key improvements to the Cholame “Y” intersection of Highways 41 and 46.

This section of highway is ominously known as “blood alley” due to the alarming number of fatal car crashes that have occurred there over the years and has badly needed upgrades for quite some time.

Arriving at a solution required navigating the state’s transportation processes and funding programs, which is why Assemblyman Cunningham’s efforts, in partnership with Sen. Monning and other state officials, were key.

Cunningham personally lobbied Gov. Brown’s office and regularly met with a medley of agencies, including the California Transportation Commission, CHP and Caltrans to get the project approved. He also supported local organizations including the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, as well as local leaders, to form a coalition in support of the effort.

All of their hard work paid off. San Luis Obispo won funding approval for Highway 46 improvements, which includes the desperately needed new interchange at the Cholame “Y”. Our local roads will be much safer because of it.

The new overpass will create an important grade separation at the interchange with the eastbound lanes that go to Route 41 (Fresno) as an overpass over the westbound traffic from Route 46 (Bakersfield). The final project would be a total of four lanes (two lanes east/two lanes west) to eventually match with the four lanes in Kern County.

During his first months in office, Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham began pushing for funds to fix the intersection. The deadly section of highway has been known as “blood alley” for years.

“Fixing the issues on Highway 41/46 has been a primary focus of mine since I was elected,” Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham said. “This section of highway is critical to our economy, but currently has a fatality rate that is three-times the state average. These investments will save lives.”

The Cholame “Wye” funding fix is part of a larger package of funding projects going to San Luis Obispo totaling $261 million. Early last year, Assemblyman Cunningham penned letters and held meetings with CalTrans and the California Transportation Commission leadership, calling for a fix to the dangerous intersection. At that time, Cunningham said the situation was “unacceptable.” Major deaths at and near the intersection go back decades. It is even memorialized after the late James Dean who lost his life in a car accident at the Cholame junction in 1955.

Two state lawmakers representing the Central Coast introduced a bill Friday expected to address local impacts of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant closure.

Senate Bill 1090 is intended to ensure a smooth transition for the community once the power plant closes down – by making PG&E pay San Luis Obispo County $85 million.

Back in January, the California Public Utilities Commission approved PG&E’s proposal to close Diablo Canyon Power Plant by 2025. It denied a community impact mitigation program and did not approve fully funding an employee retention program.

“Both of these programs will provide a bridge to our region as the transition to closure of Diablo Canyon moves forward,” said Democratic Senator Bill Monning.

Senator Monning and Republican Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, among others, have been working to revive those programs.

“We have an opportunity with SB 1090 to ensure a smooth transition to a post-Diablo future, SB 1090 will protect our schools, our people. It will protect our economy and will safeguard critical assets,” said Assemblyman Cunningham.

The bill would make the CPUC restore two components cut from the closure plans: $85 million for San Luis Obispo County, local cities, and schools, plus full funding for a $350 million program designed to keep PG&E workers from leaving the closing plant for other jobs.

“Without the bill students, teachers and our community will needlessly suffer,” said Dr. Eric Prater, superintendent of San Luis Coastal Unified School District.

“That retention agreement keeps quality workers to keep Diablo Canyon safe to keep it running efficiently and also to attract workers so they can run in a quality safe efficient matter until the end of its operating license,” said Robert Dean, member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Now that the bill has been introduced, there will be a series of hearings in Sacramento starting on Monday.

San Luis Obispo County might get that $85 million Diablo Canyon closure settlement after all.

State Sen. Bill Monning and Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham announced co-authored legislation Friday that would give San Luis Obispo County the full $85 million settlement for economic mitigation initially proposed by PG&E in its plans to shutter the nuclear power plant by 2025.

“We have an opportunity with SB 1090 to ensure a smooth transition to a post-Diablo future,” Cunningham said. “SB 1090 will protect our schools, our people, it will protect our economy and it it will safeguard critical assets.”

Both Central Coast lawmakers noted that it will be an uphill battle convincing other legislators that the hyper-local bill is necessary.

“Our challenge is to move this message from something that is just intended to help the residents of San Luis Obispo County and the immediate region, that this is statewide legislation to protect all Californians, ” Monning said.

The bill would direct the CPUC to approve the settlement, as well as PG&E’s full $350 million proposed employee retention and retraining program. (The Commission approved a lesser amount — $222 million — for the employee program.)

The settlement would help support the region through what promises to be a huge economic shift once the plant closes.

Diablo Canyon has an estimated $1 billion impact on the local economy, and is the county’s largest private industry employer with nearly 1,500 workers.

PG&E, which operates the plant, is also the largest taxpayer in the county, representing about 5.88 percent of the county’s total budget, according to documents filed with the California Public Utilities Commission.

PG&E spokesman Blair Jones said the company was “grateful for Senator Monning’s and Assemblyman Cunningham’s leadership and the attention they are placing on helping California meet its clean energy goals.”

“This is, and will continue to be, an important issue for our state, customers, employees and the San Luis Obispo County region,” Jones said. “The Diablo Canyon joint proposal represented a significant milestone in the planning to meet California’s bold clean energy vision and it’s important to ensure that the remaining goals of this transition strategy are enacted.”

San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon, representing the coalition of local cities, also thanked the legislators for their hard work on the bill.

“San Luis Obispo County has and will continue to shoulder the risks of having a nuclear power plant in our community, and we appreciate so much the efforts of both Senator Monning and Assemblyman Cunningham to put forth a bill that comprehensively addresses the complex challenges shuttering a major nuclear power generating facility,” she said.

Monning and Cunningham said in a news release that the bill would act as a “bridge to allow local schools to manage the loss of revenue.”

San Luis Coastal Unified School District Superintendent Eric Prater said Friday that the bill was essential to maintaining important school services.

“SB 1090 gives us time to manage,” he said. “We need a bridge, a longer runway to make needed changes.”

San Luis Obispo County Economic Vitality Corporation President and CEO Michael Manchak applauded the announcement Friday, saying the bill would play a “very important role” in maintaining a strong local economy.

“Senator Monning and Assemblyman Cunningham are demonstrating strong leadership in supporting our communities and local economy by proposing this important legislation that may provide vital resources to the region to mitigate the impacts caused by the future closure of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant,“ he said.

The bill was introduced by Monning on Feb. 12; it was amended in the Senate on Thursday and referred back to the Committee on Rules for a vote. After that, it will head to the senate Energy Committee before moving to the Assembly to go through the same process.

]]>Cunningham leading effort on gang prevention, victim protectionhttp://jordancunningham.org/cunningham-leading-effort-on-gang-prevention-victim-protection/
Fri, 02 Mar 2018 17:46:14 +0000http://jordancunningham.org/?p=1015–Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) is leading the effort to fund the California Gang Reduction, Intervention, and Prevention program (CalGRIP) in this year’s state budget. Cunningham has also introduced legislation to help victims feel safe bringing forward information about gang activity. Both proposals are co-sponsored by Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella).

Assemblyman Cunningham submitted a formal request to the Assembly Budget Committee to fund the CalGRIP program. CalGRIP has historically provided grant funding to cities to support prevention, intervention and/or suppression activities in efforts to stamp out gang violence. The governor’s latest budget proposal eliminates the program.

“There are great programs already underway to combat gang activity on the Central Coast, such as Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino’s Youth Task Force,” said Cunningham. “We need to provide resources to local cities who are working with young people to keep them off the streets and reduce gang violence.”

In response to the CalGRIP effort, Edwin Weaver, Executive Director of Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley, expressed support: “I’d really like to thank Assemblyman Cunningham for fighting for us by supporting these gang prevention funds. This is a great opportunity for our city to build a stronger community. This grant will help strengthen our community’s youth and family goals.”

Cunningham is also pushing policies to protect victims of gang crimes and ensure their names remain confidential. By keeping names confidential, victims can feel safe to bring forward testimony in gang-related cases.

Violent crime has been on the rise in recent years, and the California Attorney General’s office noted that 29 percent of homicides in 2015 were gang-related. In 2016, Santa Maria Police Chief Ralph Martin said about 60 to 70 percent of their homicides are due to gang members or gang associates.

Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham is a small business owner, former Templeton School Board Member, husband and father of four. He represents all of San Luis Obispo County and a portion of Santa Barbara County, including Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Cambria, Paso Robles, Grover Beach, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Los Osos, Morro Bay, Nipomo, Orcutt, Pismo Beach, Templeton, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Maria, and surrounding communities.

Like much of the country, I watched the emotional testimony unfold from the victims of disgraced U.S. Olympic Gymnastics sports doctor Larry Nassar. It is a powerful reminder of how we can give victims a chance to heal by speaking in court, face-to-face with the person who harmed them. The process of healing begins with victim impact statements.

In my time as an attorney in the criminal justice system, I have seen firsthand the importance of victim impact statements. I have sat next to people whose loved ones were taken before their time and seen them sob and shake with emotion. There is a sense of helplessness when all a person can do is offer a comforting hand on the shoulder of a crying person. I have also seen incredible courage from victims who faced a person who abused and tormented them for years, and told that person they no longer had power or control over them.

The powerful victim impact statements from gymnasts like former Team USA Captain Aly Raisman and nearly 160 other women gave them a chance to directly confront Nassar. It also gave them a platform to demand social change and protect women gymnasts going forward.

Counselors and therapists following the case say these statements are important to help victims regain their mental strength. The athletes were able to tell their stories and know that the world believed them. They were able to come together and show they are not alone. It was a chance to understand that the abuse was not their fault and they can live their lives knowing that Nassar would spend the rest of his days behind bars.

In California, victim impact statements are enshrined in our state’s Constitution, thanks to voters approving Marsy’s Law in 2008.

Unfortunately, California is going in the opposite direction under the proposed regulations for the governor’s early release program.

Under the recently passed Proposition 57, the California Department of Corrections can release certain inmates well before their sentences expire — including those who have committed serious offenses — based on a complex formula to determine if they are a threat to the public or not. The problem is, victims can only submit a written statement during this process. Victims or their family members have no opportunity to speak at the hearing about how their lives have been forever changed by the inmate’s actions.

The inmate can be released by prison officials without ever hearing emotional testimony from the victim. This undermines trust in the system and runs afoul of Marsy’s Law. It is only possible to truly understand the scope of a crime’s impact on a victim when it is shared in person. Not only can victims tell their stories, but it’s also an opportunity for perpetrators to apologize for their actions. That can be a powerful thing for both sides.

A decision to release a person from prison for a horrible crime must consider the victim’s perspective, which is only truly conveyed in person.

Media coverage of the Nassar trial has shown the country the power of victims finding their inner strength by directly confronting their abuser. We should allow victims the chance to personally address prison officials and the perpetrators before giving early release under Prop 57.

San Luis Obispo County resident Jordan Cunningham represents the 35th District in the state Assembly.

—The first of four bills authored by Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (R—San Luis Obispo) to fight human trafficking has passed out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

On its way to the Assembly Floor, the legislation would make it easier for victims’ statements to be heard at trial. Due to fear of retaliation and post-traumatic stress, many victims have demonstrated an unwillingness to testify or have altered their statements in the past. This bill would allow previous statements given at conditional examinations to be used in court – making it easier to put traffickers behind bars.

“They are not criminals because they are trafficked, they are victims,” said Cunningham. “Moving this bill is another victory in our efforts to fight human trafficking and end the fastest growing criminal industry in the world.”

A former Deputy District Attorney and public safety advocate, Assemblyman Cunningham has started to emerge as a statewide leader on the issue. He has also introduced bills that would strengthen and extend protections for trafficking victims and add those who solicit minors to Megan’s Law. For more information on all four bills, click here.

Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham is a small business owner, former Templeton School Board Member, husband and father of four. He represents all of San Luis Obispo County and a portion of Santa Barbara County, including Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Cambria, Paso Robles, Grover Beach, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Los Osos, Morro Bay, Nipomo, Orcutt, Pismo Beach, Templeton, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Maria, and surrounding communities.

SAN LUIS OBISPO- Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham has earned the endorsement of California Professional Firefighters (CPF), an organization representing some 30,000 front line firefighters and paramedics.

When asked about their endorsement, CPF President Lou Paulson said, “Jordan is an outspoken advocate for public safety. He has always looked out for the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our communities. He is without a doubt the best person to represent our first responders.”

Cunningham has experience in public safety. While a San Luis Obispo County Deputy District Attorney, he prosecuted a variety of crimes, including assault, fraud, domestic violence, and environmental crimes.

As an Assemblyman, Cunningham serves on a number of committees and is the Vice-Chair of the Judiciary and Rules Committees. He has introduced multiple bills aimed at increasing public safety, including legislation that would increase protections for victims of human trafficking and crack down on trafficking-related crimes such as pandering and pimping.

Cunningham recently authored a bill signed by Governor Brown (AB 1339), which expanded the ability of law enforcement agencies to conduct thorough background checks.

Assemblyman Cunningham represents all of San Luis Obispo County and a portion of Santa Barbara County, including the cities of Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Paso Robles, Grover Beach, Lompoc, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Templeton, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, and surrounding communities.